


None of Your Business

by samzillastomps



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Fluff, I love me some coffee and bookstores, Kylux - Freeform, M/M, Sexual Tension, Snow, Some comfort, Sweetness, a little bit of kylo being an aggressive flirt, because I'm basic and proud, business owners, but I wonder where it will be???, but he doesn't compromise, but they're gonna find it, card tricks, frustrated tears at one point, guess you'll just have to peruse, hints at a very magical book series that is popular with the youngins, hux is decent at business strategy, hux not realizing it, hux owns a bookstore, kind of like someone roaming through a bookstore, kylo ren owns a magic shop, kylo truly just wants to help, lots of coffee, not really sure what they want, shameless unapologetic fluff, there's one explicit part so I marked it just in case, this is why he's in the position he's in, yknow how I do, yknow why dont you just read it?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:21:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7848433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samzillastomps/pseuds/samzillastomps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux is keeping his head above the water with his slightly pretentious bookstore, but just barely. When the next door neighbor (a young business owner who hasn't impressed Hux in the least) meanders over with a magical proposition for them both, Hux is in no position to deny him. A compromise to save his bookstore from bankruptcy may be just what Hux needs to feel at peace again-- and just what his neighbor was hoping for to get his foot in the bookstore door.</p>
            </blockquote>





	None of Your Business

**Author's Note:**

> Have some chilly fluff in the middle of summer!!

He was at it again. The early morning whatever the fuck he was doing, just… every day! Hux put down the book he was reshelving and checked the clock. It was only seven. They wouldn’t open for another two hours, what could he even be doing? Listening to music? Dancing? Working out? Hux heaved a lofty sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose underneath of his glasses, trying to stave off the headache he knew was coming.

Ever since the warehouse next door had been rented out to this newcomer in the city, Hux’s business had been suffering. It wasn’t correlational, he was positive it was just a sign of the times combined with his lack of joviality when it came to marketing. He was keeping his head above water with some acrobatics in his budgeting, but Hux knew it was only a matter of time before his ship sank entirely. By his calculation, he only had until January, when the lease was up, to escape the threat of debt and looming bankruptcy. It could not have happened all at once, even though that’s what it felt like. Maybe Hux had just noticed his bookstore’s struggles more accutely when he had the added upset of a disorderly neighbor in the warehouse next door.

Music played louder for a second, the chime of a door signaling that the owner had left momentarily. Hux sighed, hopped down from the step stool, and went to the back room to make himself some coffee. A knock on the glass of his storefront door made him flinch.

“Hey,” the owner from next door waved, the blue-gray of the early morning fog painting him like a shadow. Hux narrowed his eyes.

“We’re closed,” he quipped. He didn’t make his voice louder, just moved his lips enough so that the stranger could read them clearly through the pane.

“I know, me too,” the man said, shouting a bit louder than he needed to; the glass was, as Hux had found out recently, not soundproof enough. “I wanted to ask you a favor.”

He was broad-shouldered, taking up almost the width of the door. Hux tilted his head, frowning. The man’s hair was piled into a messy man-bun on his head, black and gently wavy. Strike one. Hux dragged his eyes downward, noticed the man’s hands were large and hooked in the pockets of his black skinny jeans. Strike two. Hux glanced back up, met the man’s gaze, tried to find some quality within him to make Hux want to open the door. The man’s brow twitched, a smirk formed in the corner of his lips. Hux felt his chest grow warm and numb at once, responding immediately. Strike three.

Hux turned on his heel, away from the door, and shouted behind himself, “We’re closed!” He went to the back room, slumping in the corner out of sight before the man outside could see how badly Hux’s hands were shaking.

* * *

Thunder. Hux sighed. There were always less customers on the street when it stormed like this. He’d be lucky if he got a few stragglers, a few of his regulars that perused his store for rare gems and signed first editions. Hux looked at his watch and contemplated taking the day off to go talk to the librarian a few cities away. She was keeping a few first editions on hold for him to take a look at, to see if they were worth buying. Instead, he stayed at the counter, watching the four bids he had open on his browser. One was for a French comic from pre-World War II era, two were the same book with different author’s notes in the margins, and the final was a purely selfish bid on an anthology of science-fiction stories signed by up-and-coming authors only. Hux couldn’t resist that last one. It wouldn’t sell, not very well, not yet. But he had to have it. Supposedly the signatures were all in pen, too, and so would require very little treatment to make them stay.

Lightning made him glance up just in time to see someone walk in the door, shaking themselves off. Hux sighed, setting down the glass of coffee he’d been raising to his lips, and waited. He wouldn’t go over if they didn’t need help, but usually he could hear them coughing or shuffling aimlessly into an aisle, or calling out a half-hearted greeting. This time there was only silence, except for the distant rumbling of thunder and the constant pattering of rain on the roof.

“Hello?” Hux called out, his voice stronger than he felt, carrying more conviction than his limbs held.

“Are you open now?” a low voice called, reminding Hux of the thunder beyond the glass. He froze, unable to move, as the shadowy man from next door walked up to the counter.

He was soaked to the bone. It hadn’t been more than a few feet to walk over here, and under an awning at that. What had he been doing?

“I asked you a question,” the man said, setting his large hands down on the counter. His hair was down now, dripping onto Hux’s cherrywood counter space.

“You’re getting my books wet,” Hux snapped, furrowing his brow. The man leaned back, drawing himself up to his full height. Hux was surprised. Not many people were as tall as he was, but here was someone maybe an inch or two taller. It was nice, not having to look down to make eye contact. “To answer your question,” Hux said coolly, “yes. We’re open. What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to ask you a favor,” the man bit out, as if it bothered him to have to even say the words. “You must not have heard that this morning, when I was banging on your door before opening.”

“Hmm,” Hux tried to hide his smirk. “No, I suppose not.” He sat back down, glancing over the bids and adjusting one immediately as he saw it change. “What kind of favor do you need?”

“I was going to propose a business venture,” the man said, but then stopped himself. There was a spattering sound as a spray of tiny droplets flung themselves from his wrist as he thrust his hand out. It took Hux a moment to realize that the man was going for a handshake. “First things first though. I’m Kylo Ren, owner of Mystical Forces right beside you.”

“Kyle?”

“Kylo,” the man repeated, slower, his voice sending an unintended shiver down Hux’s spine. Hux blushed, mainly because he was responding rather strongly to being spoken to like he was an idiot. That didn’t sit well.

“Armitage Hux,” he said, slipping his hand into Kylo’s and gripping it hard. He shook it firmly. “Just Hux please, though.”

“Got it. No mention of the A-word,” Kylo practically purred. Hux ran his tongue over his teeth to stifle a grimace and pulled his hand away.

“What’s the favor?”

“Straight to business, eh?” Kylo asked. Hux did not reply. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the man before him over his rimless glasses. Kylo shifted, visibly uncomfortable and straightening his posture as if he were under critique for a uniform violation. “Fair enough. The proposal I had in mind was to do with the recent popularity in that one magic novel, for children and teenagers. Do you know it?”

“I know of it, but have yet to read it,” Hux said, narrowing his eyes. It sounded like drivel, and it pandered sweetness to the young masses-- at least from how the news went on about its popularity. It was the third book in the series, and it was peaking right now.

“Well…” Kylo swallowed, his eyes going heavy as he tried to conceal whatever emotions he was dealing with. “Without getting into it, I haven’t been doing so well since I started leasing here.”

“Really.”

“I don’t think it’s the location, because you and the antique stores and the tapas bar down the way seem to be doing well.” Hux tried not to straighten up too much at the compliment. “But the coffee shop on the corner, the stationary shop below Angelic Moods, and myself… we’re struggling.”

“So get a loan.”

“I already have loans, that’s not what I’m talking about,” Kylo snapped. Hux quieted, watching eagerly as the mask of calm chipped a bit. He looked good angry, with his jaw clenched. Hux glanced over to his computer screen to stop his face from showing his appreciation, clicked his bid up on the comic book and the anthology. Kylo took a steeling breath and sighed. “Look, this isn’t easy for me. I know you probably don’t like me very much. You avoided saying anything to me past the casual hello for the past three months.”

“You shouldn’t take it personally.”

“And why’s that?”

“I don’t really like anyone,” Hux said softly, then picked up his coffee cup to take a sip so that he wouldn’t blurt more accidental glimpses to his personality. He looked up, though, and Kylo Ren seemed to almost approve.

“At least it’s not just me, then,” he said. “But I’m getting distracted here.”

“Seems like it,” Hux said coldly. Instead of another sigh, which was what Hux was hoping to illicit, the man clenched his jaw and smirked.

“Right. Well. The book in question is about magic. I was hoping that you would have ordered some of these books to sell. Seeing as you’re doing so well, you must have an eye for these sorts of things, the kind of books that sell.” Hux went a bit cold, and sipped more coffee to have something to do. He couldn’t swallow fast enough to slow his blush; he didn’t even know the title of the book Kylo was referencing. “Since I assume you’ve ordered some, I was going to propose a launch party for when the order comes in. Advertise that you’ll be holding a costumed extravaganza. Anybody who dresses up for the launch will get a discount at both of our shops.”

“Seems to defeat the purpose of making money,” Hux said, knowing that what he was saying was purely contrary as he clicked his bid higher on the French comic. “Spending so much and giving a discount.”

“It’s good for future business.”

“I don’t cater to children,” Hux sneered, turning back to his bids. He had won the comic book. With satisfaction in his eyes, he turned back to the man still dripping on his floor. “Have you got any flyers made up? Ads bought?”

“Yes, and yes.”

“You were going to do this without me?”

“If you said no.”

“So why do you need me?” Hux asked, frowning and tilting his head. “I could just offer up the book and you could offer a discount on costumes to come to the launch party. I wouldn’t have to give up anything in the deal.”

“You know as well as I do that you’ll get more business, taking it from that Barnes and Noble down the street, if you offer a discount and take my help.” Kylo glanced down, his lips parting. “Oh. You’ve got,” he motioned with one index finger at the corner of his lips, “some cream. Just there.”

Hastily, Hux swiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. While he set his coffee down, Kylo leaned over and sighed. His hands were on the counter, so large. But then again, he was very tall. Hux tried not to focus on each knuckle of his hands as Kylo spoke, but was in the process of failing spectacularly.

“I’m offering this to you just in case you’re not doing as well as you put off.”

Hux glanced up, fire in his eyes. Was this guy, this newcomer, just assuming Hux was having trouble right off the bat? How could he know? Hux searched the dark eyes before him, tried to find the kink in the armor. A flinch, a twitch, as if Kylo were focusing his energy on maintaining a convincing expression of self-assurance. Hux smirked.

“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.”

Kylo sneered.

“Don’t pretend. I’ve seen you working late, you know. Up at night, reorganizing, putting books in boxes to sell off to make ends meet.”

“Okay-”

“I’ve seen the lack of customers, the display cases recycled countless times because you’re not selling what you’d hoped-”

“Stop,” Hux hissed, his spine straight and cold, as if Kylo were trailing an ice cube down Hux’s back with every condescending word. “I’ll consider what you propose if you just stop talking.” Hux took a steeling breath while Kylo closed his mouth, his expression mercifully blank. “Okay. Fine. So I’ve been working late, you caught me.” He paused, having to look away for a moment. “I’m not in trouble,” he bit out, staring up at the man before him with defiant intensity. “And if I were, I don’t need you to try to save me.” Kylo tilted his head, a concerned expression on his face.

“This will work, Hux,” he promised, in a low voice that felt too intimate. Hux straightened and cleared his throat, the sound of his name on this stranger’s breath more comfortable than he liked.

“I said I would consider it. Now, if you aren’t going to buy anything, please leave.”

A shared look, too strong for Hux to maintain for long but too searing for him to avoid.

“My apologies,” Kylo straightened, his eyes washing away the intense conviction they had just held for the heavy, neutral expression he’d donned before. His mask. “I can see you’re very busy.”

He turned and was out the door before Hux could retort. As the bell chimed to let Hux know Kylo had left his store, he licked the corner of his lips and tasted a ghost of sweet cream.

 

* * *

 

He bought the books reluctantly. This one in the series was called ‘Sugar Collins in the Land of Despair’, which rang a bit dark for a children’s book. Opening up the order form and seeing it made Hux feel a bit better about the ordeal; maybe they would traumatize some of the younger ones. He’d be alright with this.

Once the order was placed, he set about trying to figure out a way to tell that Kylo Ren that he had done it. He didn’t want to go over and tell him he had caved after only a week of considering the proposition. He didn’t want the guy to say his name again, to get so close, to invade Hux’s space more than he already was without even being physically near. Honestly, Hux had even mentally stopped referring to Ren by his first name, so eager was he to put distance between them.

But in reality, he thought about Ren daily whether he liked it or not. Usually the man floated to the surface of Hux’s mind in minor ways, unintended thoughts, small moments. Shelving the books, Hux would notice a leather cover the color of Ren’s eyes and have to shake his head to rid himself of the image. He’d be perusing his auction sites for antique finds but in the background randomly Google the etymology of the name Kylo; there was none that he could find so far.

It even translated to his budgeting. Hux had been looking over everything in his bank account, trying to pinch every penny to make the initial buying of the books worth it, and had then figured out the discount (a meager 5% that would come very close to breaking him) without even flinching before he’d realized he’d done it. It was automatic, almost as if having a battle plan was all he needed before strategizing everything else. And he’d done it with Ren’s smirk in mind, as if he were going to initiate this plan in a better way than even Ren had intended.

But now he had to tell the insufferable arse. How would he do it? That was the biggest question, the one that Hux had been contemplating for days.

For the past week, Ren had been quieter in the mornings, as if in a childish attempt to get Hux on his side about the issue. Hux had never complained about the music playing for a few hours before work, but he did morbidly wonder what was going on in there and how Ren had quieted it so instinctively. As he signed for a package containing the science anthology, he pictured Ren in a dress, dancing to the beats, practicing a routine. Instead of being funny, Hux had found it rather erotic, and had to promptly slam the door in the postman’s face rather than let him see the immediate flush that had crept up Hux’s collar.

Today, after filling out the order form, Hux went to the tapas bar down the street to collect himself. He closed the bookstore without worry; nobody came by on a rainy Wednesday anyway.

“Good morning, you,” Catherine Phasma said without looking up. Hux grunted a reply, moving to sit at the bar while she cleaned. “Everything okay?”

“Decent, but not great.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I have a question for you.” She stopped wiping the counter and looked up expectantly. “What do you know about that new kid, Kylo Ren?”

“The one who owns the magic shop beside you?”

Hux grimaced then nodded.

“Not much. He keeps to himself. Snoke leases to him because of some family something or other, I bet he’s secretly fucking rich,” she laughed derisively.

“No shit.”

“Yeah. I think he lives nearby, I see him having dinner in the park, just kind of sitting on some rocks alone looking at the city.”

“What, just… meditating?”

“Seems like it, yeah. He looks calm enough, anyway.”

“He doesn’t seem the type, with that body of his.” Skinny jeans. Man bun. Meditation. Hux’s lip curled.

“I know, you’d think he’d be lifting the rocks instead of sitting on them. He should be a gym rat, logically, but no. I see him on my nightly run, more often than not, just sitting quietly like he’s listening to the air.”

“Mmm,” Hux murmured, forcing himself not to comment further on the large frame of his neighbor. He had already revealed too much. “So, he asked me to do a launch party with him.”

“Did you agree?”

“Not yet. I mean,” Hux clenched his jaw, then tried to relax. “I got the book he was talking about. But I haven’t told him I agree yet.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t know he’s just…” Hux shrugged, not finding his words today. The constant rain of the past week, paired with the sight of Kylo Ren walking rain-drenched to his car in the evenings, his shirt clinging to his stomach, his hair slick against the nape of his neck--

“You like him,” Phasma accused, her voice a low hiss.

“There is nothing to like,” Hux immediately retorted, “I only know his name. Nothing else.”

“You still like him,” Phasma whispered, the rag in her hand dropping to the floor. When she bent to pick it up, Hux moved to the door.

“I’ll update you about the launch party,” he said, already shutting the door on her response. He left in such a hurry that he forgot his umbrella, and showed up to his storefront without it or the tapas he’d meant to order for lunch.

 

* * *

 

Three hours and two bottles of water later, Hux was starving. He had considered buying takeout, but he didn’t have the budget for it. On top of being delicious, Phasma’s tapas were at a discount, and he’d forgotten them. The rain outside was growing ridiculous, and a flash of lightning reminded Hux that he shouldnt try to go outside even if he was starving. As if to accentuate the point, a shotgun blast of thunder, loud enough to make Hux jump, cracked through the air.

Hux sighed, and just as he was about to get up to go make himself some coffee, a fuse blew and plunged him into total darkness.

“Oh fuck me,” he murmured. He prayed nothing too expensive was shot, and checked that the surge protector had been on for his computer. He began to shuffle around his desk for a flashlight or his phone when he heard the door chime. Another flash of lightning afforded him a view of Ren standing there, breathing as if he had just been running.

“Hux?”

“Yes?” Hux asked, annoyance coloring his tone. He heard Ren laugh, as if he had expected nothing less, and then sigh.

“Thank goodness. You’re okay?”

“It’s just a power outage, Ren,” Hux said, inadvertently using his last name instead of his first. The man didn’t seem to mind. Hux still felt vulnerable, as if Ren could tell it was because his first name was too intimate a thing to voice aloud.

“I was worried,” Ren answered, as if explaining himself would ease the sudden tension. “If it had gone out while you were on a ladder, or something… I dunno.” He shuffled, and Hux flinched when thunder broke through the white noise of the rain.

“I’m fine,” he said, a bit louder than he needed to, and got up to demonstrate it. He moved around where he figured the desk was, but underestimated its position just enough to slam his thigh straight into the corner as he walked.

It was hard enough to make him cry out, and before Hux realized what was happening he felt a hand at his elbow and another at his side. He moaned at the sensation before recognizing it as concerned, blind pawing. Ren thought he was hurt, that was all. No need to go crazy over it.

Hux pushed Ren’s hand away, stooping over slightly to rub at where a bruise was probably already forming under his pressed khakis. He felt Ren’s hand move forward again despite Hux’s brush-off, and it was probably intended for his shoulder. Seeing, however, as Hux was bent forward to massage his thigh near his knee, Ren’s fingers traced ghost-like through Hux’s hair.

They both reacted belatedly, and for a split second the warmth of Ren’s digits closed a bit tighter around Hux’s tresses and pulled just an imperceptible amount. A small sound escaped Hux’s throat, a low groan of appreciation. Had the lightning not startled them with the image of themselves frozen in such a manner, Hux might have asked him to pull harder.

The subsequent thunder shook them to the core, their chests vibrating with more than just the noise outside. Hux felt Ren snatch his hand away, felt him retreating. He stood up as well, the pain in his leg nothing compared to the embarrassment he felt in that split second. As if the world were playing a cruel joke on him, the lights chose this moment to turn back on.

Ren stared at him, watched as Hux straightened his crisp, powder blue button-up, as Hux pushed his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose. He had to see how pink was kissing the crest of his cheekbones, had to see that Hux’s eyes were bright and afraid as he raised them.

“While I have you,” Hux said softly, not meaning for his voice to make him seem so eager, so young. He cleared his throat, ignoring how the man in front of him drew in his lower lip to bite. “I bought the stupid book,” he finished, his voice harsh.

“Did you, now?” Ren sounded utterly disinterested in the book, ordered or not.

“I did.” Hux frowned, walking past Ren to the file cabinet to their left where he kept his receipts. “Here’s the form for it.”

“I believe you,” Ren chuckled, waving the paper away. “I’ve put the ad out in the local newspaper already. Put up some flyers at the coffee shops, gave some to the tapas bar owner too, just this morning.”

“Impossible, I was there this morning.”

“I must’ve come in after you,” Ren said, shrugging. Hux clenched his jaw, setting the form back down.

“Sorry I missed you,” he said, meaning to sound flippant. Instead, it was too quiet, way too quiet, and he sounded genuinely upset. He cleared his throat again, turning away and pretending to be very preoccupied with the binders of organization code behind his desk. Ren made a small noise, it sounded like another little laugh.

“So Hux. While I have _you_. I was wondering if you wanted to go talk to the coffeeshop owners with me tomorrow, about possibly involving them in the launch?”

“Why?”

“To be honest, I just wanted an excuse to take you out for coffee,” Ren said, hooking his thumbs in his pockets again, the same way he had when he’d first accosted Hux’s shop in the morning mist. Had it only been a week ago?

“I…” Hux swallowed hard, then turned to face his neighbor. “I don’t want you spending the money. I’ll go by myself to talk to them.” Ren’s expression relaxed, that glaze that Hux was beginning to recognize as his reaction to trying to keep his emotions from being read. He clenched his jaw, his lips twitching as if he were going to reply. A flash of lightning outside; Hux braced himself for the thunder to follow.

“I see. In that case, I need their answer by tomorrow, for planning purposes,” Ren murmured.

“If they’re interested, we’ll soon have it,” Hux said, offering what he hoped was a playful smirk, just in case Ren was worried that this was going to fall through.

“I leave all that to you,” Ren said. As if he were distancing, matching Hux’s step backwards with one of his own.

Before Hux could reply, or even let the smile fall from his lips, Kylo Ren had turned and made his way to the door. He left without a word, and when the next power surge happened and the lights went out, he did not come in rushing to Hux’s side.

 

* * *

 

The book was about two months out now. The rains had receded and were slowly being replaced with ice and sleet. Hux had started coming to work earlier and staying later, the bookstore insulation better than his cheap studio’s. The customers remained, even though the luxury of scouting out first editions was now an exercise in self-restraint. Hux counted his blessing where he could; come December, he would be fine. Come the release of that book, if Ren had done his part, all would be well.

He’d seen newspapers advertising their party. When Hux had gone over to the coffeeshop, the owner had been ecstatic to help out. He seemed like an overly eager puppy, and most of his drinks were on the sweet side, playing up the cakes he supposedly made himself. Hux had wondered why he’d never walked in there before, and on his way out the owner had given him a little almond cake to take home. Hux hadn’t admitted it, but it had been a welcome change to the spoonful out of the peanut butter jar that was his lunch lately.

Today was not an especially bad day. He’d been approached by a local librarian about setting up a booth in the spring at the local university campus, to sell his books on the quad. He’d told her he’d consider it. He’d also made two sales today, to two tourists who had come in deliberately looking to invest money in antiquated books with signed covers. He’d been haggled down, possibly because the two could tell how bad he’d needed the money, but at least he had enough to cover rent on both his store and his apartment, bills for one month, and peanut butter for two.

Right now, Hux was watching a lady with her young son trailing her fingers along the edges of some book spines; her son was invested in a piece of string that he was tying around his index finger, making the digit itself turn purple and pink with lack of circulation. His mother, probably just grateful for some quiet, found a book that she had apparently been searching for.

“How much?” she asked, bringing it over to Hux for appraisal. He tipped his glasses up further on his nose.

“Let’s see.” He opened the front cover, saw the sticker price listed as three-hundred and ninety dollars, turned it back over. “This is Doctor Faustus, which I’m sure you’re familiar with. This particular copy is rather expensive, because it includes a rare collection of signatures. Somehow, a meticulous librarian or family member documented all of the owners of this book, dating back to the 1600s. I have other copies of this book without the signatures, of course, for a reduced-”

“I know what it is, and I don’t want a different one. I’m asking you, how much will you take for it?”

“The sticker price, I’m afraid, is the lowest I’ll go.”

“Come on,” the woman leaned in, as if they were coconspirators in on the same game. “I know how you sellers mark up a product. How badly do you want to make a sale today?”

Hux straightened, his mouth a small, tight line. He’d been bargained with once today and it had taken all of his energy and his patience.

“Ma’am, I appreciate your ardor, I do. But all of these books are already priced to sell.” He narrowed his eyes at her as she rolled hers. “You’re more than welcome to call an appraiser and come back if you wish-”

Before Hux could stop him, the little boy grabbed the book off of the counter. The page Hux had opened it to in order to point out the names recorded there in filigree and fountain pen found its way into the boy’s fist. Hux shouted, but it was too late. The kid tore the page completely out, and then worked on the next one too.

“Stop him, for Christ’s sakes,” Hux shouted, practically vaulting over the counter to slap the book out of the child’s hands. The kid immediately took up a wail, and the mother began to berate Hux for laying a finger on him.

“He’s just a kid, he doesn’t know any better-”

“Look at what you’ve done!” Hux cried, gesturing to the crumple corpses of the pages floating to the floor. “Just look! Hundreds of years of record, and you just let him go at it like an animal!”

“It was an accident,” the woman said, “I will not pay a damn cent for a ruined book, if you think for one minute-”

“I don’t care about the money! Get out of my shop!” Hux shouted. The woman paused, registering this as if she were being let off the hook. Hux resisted the urge to physically push her and gathered instead the leftovers of the now-useless book in his hands. “Ma’am,” he said quietly, his voice tight with the effort he had to put in to keep it in check, “I need you to leave this instant. You are hereby banned from this establishment, and I hope to God that your little boy’s finger falls off.”

Confused, the woman looked down and finally realized that her kid had cut off all blood flow to his index, which was now gray. With a cry of concern, she moved to help him, and Hux began to usher her to the door.

“I’m afraid you can’t stay. You’re trespassing.”

The woman tried to talk over him, complaining about his manner, about his tone of voice, about his rudeness. Hux couldn’t hear a thing. He was trying so hard not to think about the cursive script being decimated beneath jam-sticky, unreasonable fingers. The woman shouted something about how much of a rathole Hux’s establishment was as he shut the door behind her, and it took everything in him not to follow her out and beat her over the head with the remains of the book her spawn had destroyed.

 

* * *

 

An hour later, Hux pushed through the large wooden door leading into Mystical Forces. He was shaking, his breath coming in hitched hiccups, and he hated that he felt stinging in the corner of his eyes. He steadied his breath, pushing past the initial glass display cases, past the costumes, past the puzzles lining the shelves and the books on ‘how to become’ whatever the hell Kylo Ren thought himself to be. Hux moved until he was at the cash register in the back, where Ren was stocking a shelf with glossy decks of unopened cards.

“What’s wrong?” Ren asked, immediately tossing his fistful of cards back into the box he’d grabbed them from.

“I can’t do it,” Hux said, his voice broken and furious.

“Can’t do what?” Ren stepped down from the stool he’d been using, moved over to put his hands on Hux’s shoulders. His touch was enough to electrify Hux to his core.

“I can’t do the launch, I can’t have kids coming into my shop, I can’t-”

“What happened? Breathe.” Ren smoothed his hands down Hux’s biceps, and the redhead hung his head in an effort to catch his breath. Instead of speaking, he thrust his hands into Ren’s chest.

Held there was the book. Hux had been trying for the better part of an hour to piece it together, to unfold it and try to capture its tears within a plastic folder in order to send it to a repair shop… but then he had calculated the cost of such a thing. He couldn’t afford it. The book, however expensive, couldn’t outweigh the cost. He’d had to drop his almost four hundred dollar playbook down to a mere seventeen bucks on the sticker price. As if to add insult to injury, when he had taped together the pieces himself, he noticed that the cursive names had been smudged by the rough hand of the child.

Ren gathered the book, cradling it delicately as if he were afraid to do it more damage. Hux lifted his head to watch as Ren took the hardcover in his hand and opened it with one large thumb. The page within made him grimace.

“Oh, Hux…”

“No fucking reason,” Hux said, reaching up as he felt tears finally spill forth. He swiped his cheeks, flinging the moisture away from his face underneath his glasses, angry at the action. Hux scoffed. “He just did it because he could.” He took a long, steeling breath as Ren looked closer at the damage. “I can’t have kids do _that_ ,” he jabbed angrily at the air above the book, “to my entire shop. I can’t risk it.”

“I would never let them,” Ren said softly. “I’ll come over tomorrow, we can make sure the most precious ones are up higher-”

“No, please,” Hux said, lifting a hand for the book, suddenly wary of how tightly Ren was holding it. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to do it. I don’t want you to have to pay back the supplier for the books you won’t be selling if you cancel.”

The thought hadn’t even crossed Hux’s mind. He swallowed hard, feeling helplessness surround him. He hated that the most, and maybe it had been his helplessness to stop the small child that grated on him even now. He closed his eyes, wishing that he could start this day over, start this month, his whole life over. He’d never own a book store, he promised himself, if he could do it again. It was too much trouble, not enough appreciation.

“I’d like to compensate you for the damages,” Ren said softly.

“There’s no need. It wasn’t your bastard who tore it up,” Hux retorted with his eyes still shut, his tone light but his bitterness evident. He sniffled and Ren lifted up one hand, the hand that had opened the cover to Faustus. When he drew it gently along Hux’s cheek, catching the tears there, Hux could smell the leather of the book cover on Ren’s skin. He opened his eyes, then, and held Ren’s stare. The man squinted slightly at Hux, as if he needed to transmit how serious he was through their gaze alone.

“I want to. Consider it an early Christmas gift.”

Hux should have pulled back. Instead, he leaned his cheek slightly into the calloused palm holding it. He shook his head, a nuzzling gesture, so small and sad.

“You don’t know how expensive it was,” Hux said. “You can’t afford it.”

“I have a savings account.”

“If I didn’t want you to buy me a coffee, why am I going to let you buy my four hundred dollar Faustus?” Hux scoffed. Ren’s eyes widened at the number, and Hux gave a genuine laugh. “Yeah. Surprised you, eh? Bet you regret offering to pay for it now.”

“No, I was just… thinking of that equivalent in coffee,” Ren said quietly. His gaze dropped to Hux’s lips, and Hux realized belatedly that Ren’s thumb was still on his cheek. One press, one firm press of his jaw, and Ren had tilted Hux’s chin up and brushed his lips along Hux’s quivering mouth.

The kiss was small, minute, and sweet. Ren pulled away almost immediately, apology written in his expression and his hand falling to his side. He took a step back, as if to remind himself of where they were.

“Hux, I-”

“Tomorrow morning,” Hux breathed. “If you’re serious, I’ll have you know I take my coffee black.” He stared at the brunette, and Ren seemed to be at a loss for words. It was nice to see. He was handsome when he was silent. “I’ll take the book.”

“No, I’d like to keep it, if it’s okay,” Ren said, scrambling behind the counter and opening the register with his PIN. Before Hux could protest, he’d written up a receipt and handed it to Hux, along with four hundred-dollar bills from the til. “Please.”

“Why?”

“I really want it,” Ren said, and his mouth went slack like a toddler about to get denied. The hand holding the money fell slightly. Hux shook his head.

“Put that money in a jar. Use it when you go buy us coffee in the morning, or whatever else you want, but I’m not touching it.” Before he could change his mind, Hux left and went back to the bookstore, where he stayed until he heard Kylo Ren leave for the night. Only then did he relax and question what the hell he had gotten himself into.

 

* * *

 

For two weeks, Ren would bring in coffees before work. He would leave without much conversation, as if he were afraid what else his mouth would do were they both to fall silent, and Hux preferred it that way. With this routine, in the cold of the pre-dawn setup they both had to do, Hux could get a glimpse at Ren and appreciate him. And then he would leave, leaving behind caffeine in his wake. It was the perfect morning ritual, for Hux at least.

The week before Christmas vacation started, when the first snow had just begun to drift fat flakes onto the street outside in the early morning hours, Ren seemed to linger. He’d asked about the book, the Sugar Collins, and even hinted once that he had the first two copies if Hux wanted to borrow them. Hux did not comment on the fact that Ren had willingly bought a book for children, and instead just hummed a noncommital reply over his coffee. When Ren left to go to his own shop, Hux considered what this was turning into.

It was never Hux starting conversation. After the initial sight of Ren in his scarves, his trench trailing the floor as he walked, his boots dark and supple-looking, Hux was okay with him leaving. When Ren spoke, it made Hux feel too light, too unpredictable. And yet here he was, sitting with his coffee by the donations box he was making for the local high school, thinking of topics to ask Ren about the following morning.

He threw three dog-eared copies of The Crucible into the box, sighing. It was only polite, really, if he were being fair. He didn’t know much about Kylo Ren, but then again, maybe there was a reason for that. Family was probably an off-limits topic, because Hux didn’t want to get into his own backstory. Money certainly was taboo. Their kiss had been avoided since Hux had allowed Ren to start paying for his coffees. So what did that leave? Hux took his glasses off and began to clean them on his gray pinstripe vest as he thought.

What could he ask about that didn’t cross a line? Asking what Ren did in his free time sounded too much like Hux was asking him on a date. Asking what Ren’s interests were seemed to imply that Hux was interested in him. Asking him about the coffee was a topic Hux had already exhausted for the past three days when he said thank you for the black with cream on the side. Ren always replied with the same thing, as if it were a joke between them now: “You let me know if you ever want some sugar to go with it,” and then a wink that Hux ignored on principal for its cheesiness.

Hux paused, frozen, with a slightly-chewed up hardcover of Les Miserables held in his hand. The way they talked, Ren was already a bit casual. He was already slightly over the line. This politeness, Hux just took it for mild formalities. But yesterday’s lingering… could Ren be hinting at something?

Hux dropped the book into the donation box harder than he meant to. No, surely not. If Kylo Ren had wanted something, he would have taken it. Just like he took that book. Just like he took the kiss. Just like he took Hux coffee every morning before going into his magic shop and setting up displays to entice people to come in.

Hux swallowed, the idea having come about organically and so suddenly that he almost missed it. Work. That could be good, actually, talking to Ren about his work. They didn’t really talk about their interests much, and Hux was curious as to how Ren occupied his time at the magic shop. That was safe, as far as topics went. Hux would talk about work.

 

* * *

 

“So. Work,” Hux said as Ren handed him his coffee the next morning. He bit back an extensive curse, barely managing to quell a blush at his limited vocabulary. How smooth. Hux tried to clarify himself as Ren came in further to the shop and leaned against one of the couches set up by the window. Ren stood as if he hadn’t noticed Hux’s subtle existential crisis, which gave Hux enough willpower to clear his throat and form a more complete sentence. “How have things been?”

“They’re picking up,” Ren said with a smile, sipping his coffee. Hux wondered how he took his. “Halloween was rough. I didn’t advertise enough. But I think with Christmas being so close, kids are looking to get some cool magic kits. How about you, with the books?”

“So many pre-orders,” Hux admitted, feeling secure enough in his business that he had started to take some afternoons off, going home early before the roads got too icy and making himself a hot chocolate. He had been sleeping better too. He smiled down into his coffee, the steam warming his hands. He might even make enough this month to turn the thermostat up in here before January rent was due. “I’m doing better than I have in months,” he admitted.

“I’m glad to hear it. Are you still nervous about the Christmas launch?”

“Do you mean the logistics, or…?”

“The clientele,” Ren clarified.

“A little,” Hux nodded, then straightened up when he realized how open he was being. “I have your word you’ll keep any hooligans from destroying my books, though. I’ll hold you to it.”

“I hope so.” Ren grinned when Hux narrowed his eyes at the remark, and took a sip of his coffee. Ren’s smelled like hazelnut, Hux could catch a whiff of it even from a few feet away.

“Do magic kits sell well?” he asked, so that he could stop himself from asking for a taste of the sweet-smelling drink.

“They do with Sugar Collins’ name on them,” Ren said dryly. Hux tilted his head at the tone. It was the same tone of voice that Hux found himself using when he talked about e-readers.

“Can you show me sometime?” Hux asked. “Not the Sugar Collins magic, but what you can do?”

Ren paused, staring wide-eyed over his half-suspended styrofoam coffee cup. The hand that was by his side played with his keys, nervous, thinking. He clenched his jaw and Hux felt his breath catch at the sight. He cleared his throat before Ren could speak. “I know you’re busy lately, though,” Hux tried to save the conversation by brushing off his previous comment. It had been nice, for a moment. “It’s not urgent, it was just a thought-”

“Come here,” Ren said, setting his coffee down on the table and rummaging in his jacket pocket. Hux frowned at the order, but walked stiffly to Ren’s side. He saw a glint of white, small like a cigarette packet. “Alright, I am a little out of touch, so bear with me.”

“Not using your free time to practice, then?” Hux asked, jabbing at Ren a bit. He bit his lip hard at the slip. That was not on the okayed topic list. Ren didn’t seem to mind, however, or had not heard Hux’s comment. Ren began to seamlessly shuffle the cards together under Hux’s watchful eye, drawing them into a bridge, fanning them between his two hands and then bringing them together again in a sleek semi circle. Hux stared, enraptured. It was so organized, so smooth. Kylo’s hands were large enough to seem like they would be a hindrance but he moved them as if he were playing an invisible instrument. Hux found himself frozen, waiting for the moment the cards fell lamely to the floor. It never came.

“I actually do a lot of freelance writing throughout the week, so my free time lately is a bit limited,” Ren said, and Hux flushed. So he had heard. “I think, too, for a little while there… I got a bit disillusioned with magic,” Ren paused, flicking his fingers in a way that simultaneously cut and shuffled the deck together in one fluid motion. Hux swallowed hard when Ren smirked at him over the deck. “But here I am, finding myself inspired. Pick a card.”

Hux looked down, going for the one in the middle. He pulled it free, watching as Ren began to reshuffle the deck.

“Don’t tell me what it is, just memorize it. Think about it. Visualize it.” Ren looked up. “Don’t watch me, Hux, look at your card.”

Chastised, Hux cupped the card in one hand and stared at it. King of hearts. You had to be fucking kidding. He sighed, then raised his gaze back to Ren’s, one eyebrow quirked at the irony of it.

“Alright, now cut the deck, put it back in. I’m going to guess your card.”

“Won’t be hard,” Hux mumbled.

“No cheating. I don’t want any hints,” Ren warned. Hux held back an eye roll and watched the theatrics of Ren shuffling unfold. After a moment of postulation, Ren asked Hux to cut the deck again. Hux obliged, begrudgingly feeling a smile pull at his lips as he watched Ren dramatically raise one eyebrow at him.

“Alright, let’s get on with it,” Hux chuckled.

“So impatient.” Ren tutted, wagging one finger at him. Hux wanted to bend it backwards. Ren gestured wildly with one elegant hand and then pulled the first card off of the top of the deck. “Now. Mister Hux. Is this your card?”

Seven of clubs. Hux laughed out loud.

“You really are out of practice,” he said, bringing his coffee up to sip as he leaned away from Ren and the table. He tried to conceal the disappointment he felt with another giggle into his drink.

“Damn. Well, I did warn you,” Ren said, sighing deeply. He put the cards into his breast pocket, stood, and then froze. “Hux.”

“What?”

“Don’t. Move. You have something in your hair.”

“What is it?” Hux froze immediately, the intensity of Ren’s eyes scaring him. “A bug?”

“I don’t know. Let me get it, hold on,” Ren moved forward carefully, as if he were hoping not to startle a spider into jumping. Even though he should be nervous for whatever was hitchhiking on him, Hux couldn’t focus with Ren standing so close. He inhaled slowly, deeply, trying to be subtle. He could smell Ren’s spicy aftershave, the hazelnut syrup on his lips, the cold of the winter outside. Ren’s lips parted, his mouth half-open in concentration, and he smiled as he traced his fingers through Hux’s hair and tucked a few strands behind his ear. “I see it,” Ren whispered, his mouth close to Hux’s cheek.

“Just grab it, for Christ’s sake,” Hux mumbled, about to break under the torture.

“Ah-ha,” Ren pulled away slightly, bringing out the king of hearts from behind Hux’s ear. Hux stared, not sure whether to be annoyed or impressed. “This is the one,” Ren said with sobering finality.

“Yes,” Hux breathed. As if suddenly aware that the magic trick was over, Ren’s eyes widened. He took in the lack of space between them, the way that Hux was openly leaning forward into his space. Hux looked pointedly at Ren’s lips, and the man bit the lower one enticingly as if he meant to lean forward and give Hux exactly what he wanted. But neither of them moved any closer.

“Here,” Ren said softly after a second, tucking the card in Hux’s vest pocket, the one that was meant to hold a pocketwatch chain if he owned one. “You can keep it.”

“Don’t be sentimental,” Hux said, rolling his eyes. “You need a full deck to do the card trick properly.”

“It’ll be our secret,” Ren smirked, his voice light as if he were joking. Hux’s chest felt heavy, as if the card was weighing him down. Ren kept his hand there, over the card, pressing into Hux’s breast for a moment longer. “Nobody but me will ever know you’ve got the king of hearts,” he murmured, almost as if he were speaking to himself. Ren’s eyes were once again heavy lidded, his mask up, his face neutral. Hux parted his lips, needing so badly to have Ren close the gap between them. When nothing happened, Ren’s hand on his chest suddenly felt like it was pushing Hux away, rather than drawing him further in. Well, Hux could take a hint.

He nodded, sighing deeply, and turned to go back to the counter with his coffee in hand. He heard Ren get up to go, and on a whim Hux looked over his shoulder.

“How do you take your coffee, Ren? Out of curiosity,” Hux asked.

Ren paused, drawing his scarf up over his neck.

“Sweet,” he finally said, giving that cliche wink to Hux the same way he did every morning. “Disgustingly sweet, with a dash of ginger thrown in for some spice.”

Ren ducked out the door before a copy of Catcher in the Rye could connect with his head.

The book bounced instead off of the doorjamb and into the couch area, falling open and upside down with a soft thud. A person passing by and walking their dog outside seemed to be annoyed that the noise had made them flinch, but Hux ignored them. Instead, he watched Ren go, trailing him with his eyes. Hux thought he saw a smile on Ren’s face through the window as he shielded his face against the cold and trudged the few steps over to his own store. It perked Hux up more than the coffee, more than even the magic trick, but he refused to acknowledge it.

Instead, he used the energy to fill out more pre-orders and to contact the Sugar Collins publishing company about shipping estimation times. He definitely did not find his fingers wandering to the lip of his vest pocket, or his mind wandering to how good Kylo Ren had smelled this morning. Hux was focused, as always, even if he was driven by denial.

 

* * *

 

The morning before the launch party, a scheduled midnight affair, there was no coffee. Hux resisted the urge to check on Ren, figured that he would come over when he could with steaming caffeine in hand. But the day stretched on with nothing but excited customers. Hux was too busy to keep track of the hours passing, was on his feet the whole time through the tiny shop.

By the end of the day, he wished he had enough funds to have other employees. He had been on his feet all day, and was completely exhausted. His ankles were sore, his back hurt, but he had made so much money that it seemed a fair trade. He walked over, flipping the sign on the door to “closed”, and looked around. It was time to decorate for the midnight launch.

Phasma would be over with appetizers to advertise her bar around 10:00pm, the coffee shops would be providing drinks for the parents and sweets for the kids to take home (in shapes of Sugar Collins items) when they arrived after that, and the antique shop had even printed coupons to be given away in a 50/50 raffle, with the proceeds going to benefit the local high school, that they had dropped off this morning. Hux felt like it wouldn’t take too long to get everything ready, but without having had his daily dose of caffeine, the thought of doing anything almost sent him into an anxiety-ridden spiral.

To distract himself, he grabbed his umbrella and keys, then ventured out into the snow. A brisk walk should help, he reasoned. A brisk walk to grab some coffee.

The walk turned into an errand run, to the coffee shop with the puppy-like owner. Hux walked in, like he had so many times before, and felt guilt numb his fingers. He didn’t know what to order for Ren. He didn’t know what he liked, could only vaguely guess at the smell he’d caught last week. He realized he was hesitating by the door, letting in the cold, and walked up to the counter so that the automatic door would close behind him.

Business here seemed better too, with a few teens doing homework together in the corner and some stragglers on laptops writing frantically with textbooks propped open. The university must have done a piece on this place, or at least mentioned it somewhere, because they all looked to be about that age. Hux swallowed hard, his mind wandering, and looked at the man behind the counter.

“Good evening, Mister Hux,” the man said.

“Good evening… ah.” Hux bit his lip. He didn’t know his name.

“Finn’s fine,” the man said, extending his hand past the register. Hux took it, shook it firmly, and only after Finn was asking for his order did he realize he had kept on his black leather gloves. He blushed, hastily trying to peel them off of his hands as he glanced up at the menu. Nothing leapt to mind that matched the smell, nothing overtly hazelnut. Hux felt his flush staying, and hoped that this man Finn would just assume it was his skin reacting to the cold.

“Um…” Hux sighed loudly, giving up. “Look, does Kylo Ren come in here often?”

“Yep, every day.”

“Does he have a regular coffee he gets?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Finn said, and Hux felt his heart sink. He clenched his jaw, straightened his posture, and tried his best not to let it show. Finn watched him react and added on, “But he usually gets a variation of a few ingredients. I can make something I know he’d like, how’s that?”

“That,” Hux felt a surge of indignation. He wanted to be the one telling this barista what to do, what to make for Kylo, not the other way around. But more than that, Hux felt relief. If Finn knew what would make Ren happy, Hux would take it. “That would actually be really helpful, thank you.”

“No problem. So on top of that, can I get you anything for yourself?”

 

* * *

 

Night had fallen especially dark with the clouds above them dumping snow down onto the silent street. Hux walked over to Mystical Forces, praying that this wouldn’t limit the number of parents willing to drive their preteens out in order to get a popular book. The snow was up to his ankles, and despite his tall snowboots a few flakes clung to his dark jeans and began to melt. Was he that warm?

Walking up to their two storefronts, Hux paused. The window display was always something Ren changed every few weeks, usually because he wasn’t busy. This week, it had a magnificent Sugar Collins theme, with broomsticks and fire and sweets all aglow around the merchandise he was trying to sell. Outfits, a beautiful cursive sign touting rentals, and props were the main attraction before Christmas, and Hux found himself oddly wanting to read the books to find out about their significance. The way Ren had organized them made him want to know more.

The inside of the shop past the display aglow with red and white Christmas lights was dark, and Hux felt a sudden jolt of panic that Ren might not have even come into work today. It didn’t make sense not to, but maybe he needed a break before tonight. If that was the case, Hux decided he would go back to his bookstore, drink both coffees, and never talk about it or try to buy any for Ren again. But he’d spent the money. He needed to try.

His hands were full, so he spent a few precious minutes trying to figure out how to hold them so that he could knock. He ended up with his blend coffee in the crook of his arm, and Ren’s specialty latte held tight in his gloved hand. The first knock on the wooden door sounded too hollow, so Hux tried again, hitting it harder. It seemed to reverberate further that time, stretching back into the shop. Hux waited, the steam from the coffees in his hands mingling with the steam from his breath.

Nothing.

Hux tried again, looking around for a sign that the shop was closed. The sign was still on “open”, so he figured Ren might be working inside, having forgotten to flip it. Maybe.

When the third knock yielded nothing, Hux tried opening to the door. It swung in for him, barely even creaking. Inside was slightly warmer, pleasantly smelling of incense, and dark. Hux stood a bit straighter and walked in, stomping his boots free of the snow as he turned around and locked the door behind him. He flipped the sign out front to “closed”. Whatever Ren was doing, he was not available should customers come calling.

“Ren?” Hux called, moving his way to the back room where he knew the computer and break room was. The place was quiet, except for the ticking of some antique clocks Ren kept as an attestment to the antique shops down the way. There were some bubbling noises, maybe one of the tiny fountains Ren sometimes kept going, adding to the mystique of the place. No sign of anyone. Hux took his blend coffee from the crook of his arm and set both of the drinks on the counter by the register, then moved into the back room.

Laying splayed on the couch, one arm thrown over his face and the other dangling from the couch, was Kylo Ren. At first, Hux felt a stab of worry, and he resisted the urge to rush over and press two fingers to Kylo’s neck. Instead, he watched Ren’s chest rise and fall steadily. He was sleeping.

He should leave. Hux knew, he should leave. He was intruding. But instead of turning around, Hux walked forward. He knelt beside the couch, eyes raking over Ren’s muscles and frame while he could do so unashamedly. He took in the curve of his biceps, the delicate way his mouth looked when relaxed, and the small strip of skin he could see where his blouse was riding up away from his stomach in his sleep. Sleeping beauty, Hux felt like saying. But that story had always creeped him out. Her inability to give consent, her lack of consciousness when kissed. Hux felt disgusted with himself suddenly, at where his thoughts had roamed, and he stood to go.

“Don’t,” Ren murmured, and Hux flinched at the noise. He turned, watching to see some sign that Ren was awake. There was none. He was either talking in his sleep, or he was an excellent faker, and Hux was impressed by neither.

“Don’t what?”

No answer.

“I came to wake you,” Hux said, his voice low.

“So wake me,” Ren replied. Definitely not sleep talking. Hux swallowed hard, shook his head.

“You’re already awake, you big faker.”

“Nope. Those aren’t the rules.”

“What rules?”

“Stop playing with me, Hux, and come wake me up,” Ren whispered, his voice low and too warm. He shifted, and Hux happened to glance at his chest, trailed his gaze down to where Ren’s hips were moving in an unconscious, slow circle. He seemed uncomfortable, as if under pressure. Hux took a breath, steeling himself.

He walked over, kneeling once more, this time putting his hand on Ren’s chest as if to test how far he was allowed to go. Ren’s lips parted, Hux’s merest touch causing him to react. Hux allowed the power surging from Ren into his own fingers to draw his hand around to Ren’s side, holding him as if he were about to fall. Hux’s other hand was at Ren’s wrist, the one over his eyes, moving it backwards to gain access to his face. Hux counted the marks dotting Ren’s cheek, mapped them like stars, appreciating every detail.

Ren was not as patient. The impertinent flirt tilted his chin up, a small breath escaping him, but still refused to open his eyes. Hux scoffed, hating that he was still hesitating, and finally leaned forward. He tipped his chin down, meeting Ren’s lips with his own.

He meant for it to be a simple thing, a quick kiss and then they could ignore it the way they had ignored the other. But he didn’t pull away immediately. He felt Ren move slightly against him, felt his pulse skyrocket, and Hux could not resist darting his tongue out to lick at Ren’s upper lip to see how that would affect him.

That must have broken the man from his stupor, because the hand that had been relaxing over the edge of the couch suddenly wrapped around Hux’s middle. The wrist Hux had captured in his own hand was at Hux’s hair. The two inhaled together, twin gasps, and Hux dropped his fingers to trace Ren’s jaw as he dragged his lips in a languid motion against Ren’s. Hux moaned, and the slight parting of his lips allowed Ren immediate access. He played with Hux, just teasing him, only plunging his tongue in deep enough to barely dance across Hux’s own before retreating slightly to appreciate Hux’s lower lip. He drew noises forth, tiny, pleading moans that Hux would have been embarrassed about were he in his right mind.

Whenever Hux made a noise, the hand at his hair tightened. Whenever he pressed his chest harder against Ren, the kiss deepened. It was a vicious, dangerous game they were playing here, each one trying to seek out the noises of the other. Hux felt Ren’s teeth dragging across his mouth, biting at him, felt the vibration of a growl in Ren’s chest before he heard it. The kiss was only a matter of seconds, but the sharp intensity of it made Hux feel as if he were drowning, gasping for air, desperate to stay under.

He only pulled away when he felt Ren’s hand at his belt, felt him slip just the tips of his fingers underneath of Hux’s clothes to play against his skin. Hux was aflame, too warm to stand this kind of attention. He straightened, pulling away from Ren in time to see the look of denied exhileration cross the man’s features.

“We…” Hux sat there, not sure where he was going with that statement, not sure what he wanted to do next. He and Ren both were breathing heavily, their hands still gripping the other’s body. Hux let his fall away first, and he stood with shaky legs before taking two steps back. “We have work to do. I brought you coffee,” he said simply, at a loss for what else to fill the silence with.

Ren stretched, and Hux tried to ignore how utterly revealing his skinny jeans were at a time like this. He stood as well, making his way over to Hux’s side.

“This just means I have to tack on another one to your tab,” Ren said with a tsk, as if he disapproved. Hux looked up, brow furrowed, searching to see whether Ren actually meant it or not. As soon as they made eye contact, Ren winked.

Unable to handle that on top of everything that had transpired within the last two minutes, Hux pushed his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose and walked out of the break room before he could blush harder. He didn’t even need caffeine to stay awake anymore, but he grabbed his coffee and took a long swig, hoping to fill his mouth with bitterness so that he could forget how sweet Kylo Ren tasted against his tongue.

 

* * *

 

The night progressed in a manic, almost trance-like way. It reminded Hux of when he got into a cleaning mood and just went around his apartment purging until he didn’t recognize the place. Kylo Ren had followed Hux over to the bookstore with his coffee in hand, dutifully keeping his distance as Hux ordered him around, and the two of them had cleaned for the next two hours in almost complete silence. He’d commended Hux on choosing a flavor he liked, to which Hux blushed in slight shame. Hux made a mental note to ask Finn what flavors Ren favored the next time he went into the coffeeshop.

After an hour, Hux had Kylo set up extra seating space, and had placed all of his most expensive first editions and signed copies in the back room. The expansive labyrinth of bookshelves that made up Hux’s shop were all draped in the four main color schemes of the Sugar Collins books, or so Ren said. Hux took his word for it, using his spare time to check on the schedule instead of carry on a conversation.

At ten on the dot, Phasma arrived to begin setting up her appetizers, and Hux only then realized how tense he’d been. Her presence there in the shop, a buffer between him and the man lurking about in the bookshelf shadows with a fake wand at his side, was so welcome that he could have collapsed at the sight.

“You nervous?” she asked immediately, not even saying hello.

“No. I’m ready to get this over with.”

“It will be fine,” Phasma said, blatantly ignoring Ren until Hux had turned to leave. After he was in the back room, he heard Phasma call hello to the magic shop owner. Hux’s gut twisted. He wanted to be out there socializing with them, perfectly normal and at ease, not desperately trying to distract himself from both the nerves of children in his shop and the nerves of Ren being so close that Hux could touch him if he wanted. And oh, how he wanted. Part of him felt guilty for how lewd his thoughts were, on the verge of throwing a book-launch for a children’s novel. Hux couldn’t banish the image of taking Ren into the back room from his mind, of forcing Ren to his knees and opening his mouth with two fingers still gloved from the storm outside. Hux would stay dressed, fully, but ask that Ren take out his own cock of course. Hux wanted to see what Ren’s hands, so capable of flicking a deck of cards into beautiful patterns, could really do. But Hux wouldn’t let him use his hands, not yet. Not until he was good and frantic with desire. Only when he’d worked Ren’s mouth and tongue into a frenzy with his leather-covered fingers would Hux allow him to-

This was dangerous. He was half-hard already, distracting himself from tasks at hand. He had to stop. Hux sighed, leaning heavily onto a wall that held a series of stepladders and hooks for reshelving books. It was just one night. He could deal with this. He had dealt with worse. He would be okay after this, he would just float. He just had to swim past Kylo Ren for a little while longer.

Relaxing for the next two hours was easier said than done, but at least everyone was so busy that Hux had no time to lapse into more debauched fantasies. Finn’s car was stuck in the steadily building snow, so Finn was having to call his partner to try to get it shoveled while he walked over box after box of sweets and coffee on foot. It was taking forever, even with the help of his two employees. Hux watched as they trudged back and forth between the shops, their white coats blending them into the storm outside. Almost immediately after Phasma had arrived, Ren had ambled over to his own shop without saying goodbye. Hux hadn’t noticed until Finn was on his second trip back, arms overloaded with sugared wands and gemstones.

“Where’s Ren?” Hux asked, finishing the final pile of books and draping an elaborate red velvet blanket over the entire display. It had been Ren’s idea to do this, and Hux wanted to check with him that it looked okay.

“He’s been gone, sir,” Finn said, shaking off snow by the door so as not to track it inside. Hux came over, picking the donuts and candies out of Finn’s overloaded arms.

“What do you mean, been gone?”

“He left a while ago.” Finn thanked him, then passed Phasma some of the other boxes from his employee standing just outside the door. “He said something about getting the kids dressed before they came over at midnight.”

Hux looked outside for the first time since he’d gone to wake Ren. There were cars absolutely filling the shared lot outside on the corner. He felt himself sway at the sight, at the sudden noise of children and parents chatting as they blustered through the snow outside to get to Ren’s shop. Finn was there the quickest, dropping a box of sweet clustered almonds in the shape of snowcapped mountaintops in order to catch Hux as he stumbled.

“I’m fine,” Hux snapped, even as he leaned on Finn’s shoulder and clutched at his beige jacket for support.

“Are you sure?” Finn asked, concern lacing his voice. The genuine tone made Hux feel trapped, too vulnerable. He did not appreciate being cared for.

“I’m sure. Please, pick up the candies you dropped. I’ll go prepare the music and make sure the raffle is ready to go.” Hux pushed Finn towards where the box lay, almond clusters askew on the hardwood, and went to the back room to mess with the PA system. He ignored the line of children forming outside his door, all of them bundled up with their winter layers bulging over what were no doubt costumes underneath. “Phasma,” he called over his shoulder. She straightened. “Let them in so that they can start brushing snow off. Once you hear the music and Finn gets the candies cleared, of course.” She nodded, and Hux felt his control returning. People were here for him, were awaiting his orders. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders back as he stepped into the back room. Ren had lent him a CD from the first movie, the soundtrack to this night, and before Hux pressed play he felt only a twinge of hesitation.

_Stop playing and wake up_.

Hux smiled vaguely at the distorted phrase, said in Kylo Ren’s voice, and noticed a glint of white on the coffee table. He narrowed his eyes, confused. There, laying by Hux’s favorite mug and a pot of hot water he had used for tea, was the king of hearts card. Hux had sworn he’d put it in his desk drawer, away and secret. He grabbed it, intending to put it back in the desk on his way out, and pressed play on the haunting orchestral soundtrack.

 

* * *

 

The crowd before him waited with bated breath. He had expected lots of children, naturally, but there were so many teenagers and young adults as well. They were all dressed similarly, captivating in their velvet capes as they were washed in the glow from four colors of Christmas lights strategically placed around the entrance. It was Ren’s doing, matching them all in overly dramatic costumes before they’d come over to the bookstore. Hux stood in front of the register, his hand resting on the red-velvet covered pile of freshly printed, never-been opened, pop culture phenomenon novelizations of a young magical girl, and felt confidence thrum through his spine.

“Welcome, everyone,” Hux said, offering them a smile. He had practiced this small speech a few times since writing it, enough that it felt natural. Phasma, Finn, and their employees were off to his left by the couches. Parents and children were milling around the entrance, as if the crowd were one living mass of tendrils and was growing restless. However, instead of returning Hux’s greeting with impatience, they all smiled back at him.

Looking at them, every single person was smiling. Hux felt his grin turning into a smirk; they were his now. His nerves began to melt away as his words came more and more easily. “I hope that tonight, on top of enjoying the newest adventures of Sugar Collins and her friends at McCullough Manor-” good, he said the name for once without sneering or sarcasm, “-you’ll learn a bit about the magic surrounding you in your very own neighborhood. My name is Armitage Hux, and I run the First Order Bookstore. I usually specialize in rare finds, collector’s items, but Sugar Collins was too good to ignore.” A round of applause, to which Hux inclined his head slightly. It looked like humility, but it was because he hadn’t managed to perfect not rolling his eyes at the last phrase. After one long blink, he smiled and adjusted his glases. “To your right, you can see Finn and Poe Dameron, the owners of the coffeeshop Bittersweet on the corner. They’ve donated handmade candies for everyone to enjoy, especially the young ones. For those of us who are only kids at heart, they’ve prepared coffee.” A laugh, eager and genuine, from the adults in the crowd. Another small round of thank-you applause. “Beside them, you’ll see Catherine Phasma, the owner of Kalamata Tapas. She’s brought over a few snacks as well for everyone to enjoy as they mingle and wait to check out.” People ooh-ed and aah-ed, and clapped to thank her as well. Hux scanned the crowd, having planned on thanking Ren next, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Finn caught his eye, raised his shoulders as if to tell Hux he didn’t know where Ren was.

“Last but not least,” Hux said, his voice a bit weaker than before. He had been nervous for Ren to hear him speak, but had still wanted him there to hear what Hux had to say. This was a letdown. He cleared his throat, determined. “I wanted to thank the owner of Mystical Forces next door. His shop is relatively new, compared to us old-timers,” another courtesy chuckle, “but he established himself almost immediately as a pivotal part of our community. Here along Orion Street, you’ll notice that a lot of us are kind of set in our ways.” Hux paused, actually looking at these people for the first time. They were his age, maybe older. They were nodding, some with pride and some with understanding. He felt his heart catch. “You look at us,” he continued as he made eye contact with each of them, even the children, “and you see something normal. Something that could be overlooked. Something you’ve seen before.” Hux swallowed hard. “Kylo Ren wasn’t content with that. He was the one who thought of you, who thought of bringing out the magic from our midst. He inspired me to open my doors, to buy Sugar Collins, and to invite you all into my own personal realm to show you that Orion Street is far from normal.” Off-script, but Hux didn’t care. He continued on, the words coming naturally. “I wanted to save him for last because none of this would have been possible without him. He’d come in early to make the displays you see in his shop next door, would come over to bring me coffee before the day started, would advertise and make himself known in ways we had not really thought to before him.”

Hux stopped himself, feeling too open, too raw. He clenched his jaw and reached into his pants pocket to finger the card, the king of hearts, that he had not put in his desk like he’d intended. Its sharp, glossy corner seemed to coax he last words from is mouth as he drew his index finger across its edge. “I wanted to thank Kylo Ren most of all, because he’s encouraged me this entire time, in more ways than he realizes.” He looked up at the crowd, gave a small laugh. “However, he isn’t here. He’s most likely still working hard in his own store and will be with us momentarily when he gets a free moment. So don’t anyone tell him I said anything nice about him.”

The crowd laughed, good-natured and grateful, and the applause they showered Hux with was meant half for him, but half for Kylo Ren. It hurt, in a good way, to hear them appreciating the magician even while he was absent. Hux knew that Ren’s business would be boosted from this, even if Ren never heard how much Hux appreciated it. That didn’t mean he didn’t still wish Ren was here to see it. After the applause died down a bit, Hux held out his hands.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen. Without further ado,” Hux made a big show of checking his watch. He’d had a countdown planned, but had gone over on his speech a bit. “I give you…” three more seconds. Now. “Sugar Collins in the Land of Despair!”

The red velvet was off with a flick of his wrist, the books staying in place on the display Ren had helped him set up. A huge cheer rose up, washing over Hux in a wave. He watched as they moved foward, all oddly polite in their scramble to get their hands on a copy. Maybe it was because they knew the Barnes and Noble was down the street, so if Hux ran out they could buy one there. Maybe it was because they cared a little more about everyone looking out for one another after Hux’s rousing speech. Either way, Hux couldn’t dwell on it. He had to start manning register.

He moved behind the counter, still uncomfortable with the sight of such young children holding onto the hardcovers, but more at ease than he thought he’d be. He didn’t even notice the shadow between the bookshelves that had been watching him give his entire speech. He looked up after a moment, noticed that Kylo Ren was helping students to get in line with their books to pay, and thought nothing more of it.

 

* * *

 

After the books were all checked out, the people stuck around. For about two hours, into the witching hour of the morning, parents and children stayed and mingled with both the business owners and one another. Some read to each other aloud, one teenager even standing up by the couches to read the entire first chapter to a bunch of elementary school students as they gnawed on almond mountains that Hux was positive hadn’t been on the floor. The adults who entered the raffle and won claimed their 50/50 prize by 1:00am, and most trickled out before it got too much later. It was a long weekend, the start of Christmas vacation, so most of the stragglers were content to read in the ethereal light of the lamps and strings of colored lights as long as Hux allowed it. Hux was content as well, in a strange sense. He’d made so much money, even with the discount, because parents who’d stuck around his shop had also bought other books along with Sugar Collins. It had been a fiery burst of chaos for a while, one that made Hux want to hire on at least two more employees before he undertook something like this again, but now came the slow burn of satisfaction afterward. Hux shut the register and began to walk around as he noticed Finn and his partner cleaning up their table by the back room.

“Heading out?” Hux asked, almost tempted to offer to help. Finn smiled at him as his partner carried one folded table and a full trash bag to the door.

“Yeah. Poe’s going on a business trip from tomorrow, so we’ll duck out of here to head home and get some rest.”

“I’ve never met your partner in person,” Hux said, grabbing a few plates of untouched rock-candy wands while Finn folded up the second table. “I’ve heard good things though.”

“He’s a good man,” Finn smiled to himself, turning in time to have Poe return and ask to help. Hux stood awkwardly, unsure of how to introduce himself when he’d already thanked Poe in his speech earlier that night, but Poe took care of the interaction immediately.

“Good to meet you-” Poe extended his hand, an eager smile on his face and Hux’s first name on the tip of his tongue.

“Just Hux,” Hux said preemptively.

“Poe Dameron,” the man said, not faltering despite the interruption. Hux shook with his free hand, the one that wasn’t holding a plate of candy, and smiled at the man. “Congratulations on tonight, Hux, you should be incredibly proud of the turnout!”

“I appreciate it,” Hux said, unsure of what else he could add to the conversation now.

“I can get this,” Finn said, refusing to let go of the table Poe was trying to wrestle gently from his grip.

“I handed off the other one already. You give me that, stay to chat as long as you want.”

“I’m ready if you are,” Finn said, hinting that he wanted to go home. Hux put on a friendly neutral face.

“I think the rest of the customers will be out within a half an hour,” he glanced at his watch but didn’t even register the time, “so don’t worry. Phasma’s cleaned up and is on her way, so you two should be good to head out too.”

“We don’t want to leave you without anyone to help you out with the rest of clean up. Where’s Kylo Ren?” Poe asked. Hux frowned at the question. He had been asking himself that for the last half hour. He didn’t like that he didn’t have an answer. “He should be here to help you with the final lights at least-”

“I’m sure he’ll turn up,” Hux said calmly, hopefully cutting off all further inquiries. He wished the two men a good night and turned away when he saw how Poe placed his hand on the small of Finn’s back as they left. It left Hux feeling empty, envious. He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and started to meander around his shop.

He wasn’t tired yet. He noticed a few adults still browsing, and they asked him when they’d be kicked out. The desire they had to stay in his shop was touching, but he told them he’d close in half an hour and continued walking. He wandered down aisle after aisle, glancing up to appreciate the network of colored starlight Ren had created above them with just a few budget Christmas lights and some heavy-duty staples. The bookshelves seemed more intimate in the colored glow, like they had more personality. Hux trailed his fingertips over their covers as he walked, pretending for a moment that he was saying goodnight to a division of small soldiers. They were his army, all ordered and quiet in the ranks. Hux smiled to himself and rounded the corner from yellow light to orange, almost stepping on a little girl in the process.

“Hey,” she squeaked, the noise more like something a microwave might make than a sound you’d expect from a tiny child.

“I…” Hux frowned, confused. She was curled up in a tiny ball on an orange beanbag up against the wood of the bookshelf end. Her legs and arms were tucked into her dress, giving the impression that she was rounder than she was. She wasn’t looking at him, was too engrossed in the book in her hands. She looked to only be about seven years old, maybe in second grade? “Are you cold?” Hux asked, thrown off by her lack of limbs, not sure what else to say. She shrugged, gave a tiny shiver. That answered that. “Do you want to come back to the entrance? By the heater, by the couches?” She shook her head. Hux held back an eye roll. “Why not?”

“People,” she hummed. She glanced up at Hux, then, her eyes bright orange and brown in the soft glow of the lights. Hux paused, then nodded to himself, completely understanding.

“Wait here.” She scoffed at his order, probably because she was going to do that regardless, and Hux left to go back to the couch area.

He came back a minute later with two blankets. He draped one across the girl, tucking it around her legs, much to her amusement. When that was done, he wrapped the second blanket around his own shoulders and sat down beside her beanbag on the floor.

If someone had asked him why, he would not have had an answer. It was a whim, some minor connection he’d made when she’d looked up at him with wide eyes that somehow still made him feel as though he were being assessed. He sat down next to the beanbag and she shifted so that he could see the book over her shoulder.

“This book isn’t too difficult for you?” Hux asked. She shook her head, glancing over as if Hux had asked the stupidest question in the history of questions. He smirked, satisfied, and she settled back in. He noticed that she waited to turn the page, watching him, trying to guess to see if he was done before she moved on. He wasn’t really reading. He was watching the way she handled the book pages.

She was reverant with them, catching them at the top with a gentle pinch and then sliding her hands down slowly to separate the page from the one behind it. She didn’t try to turn the page at the bottom, thereby ripping it. She didn’t lick her fingers, thereby leaving fingerprints and ink smudges. She didn’t even slap the pages over: she moved them gently, as if she were afraid they would crumble in her fingers otherwise.

Her utter immersement in the book was amazing. She would make happy beeps, small hums, or sad noises depending on what she’d just read. They were small, almost inaudible, but she was so bewitched with the text that she seemed to not even realize she was doing it. Hux watched, intrigued by this, for longer than he realized. He was only startled out of the calm stupor by a whispered admonishment.

“There you are, Beebee,” a woman said as she strolled around the corner. She didn’t seem too worried, but there was an edge of exhaustion to her voice. “You didn’t tell me where you’d gone.” Her eyes flicked to Hux, suspicious and flinted. She recognized him, Hux could tell, so he stood up and extended his hand.

“Hux,” he said to her as way of introduction.

“Rey.” She took his hand, but didn’t look pleased about it. He gave one firm shake then dropped it as she beckoned Beebee to her side. The girl obeyed, sprouting legs to stand by what Hux assumed was her mother. She never put down her book for an instant. “This is my neighbor’s daughter, Beatrix. I’ve been searching for her for the past half an hour.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you’d been looking for her, or I would’ve come to get you-” Hux trailed off when Ren stepped out from the aisle.

“See? I told you Hux had probably found her,” Ren said. Hux swallowed hard, not sure why he felt uncomfortable. He shot Ren an angry glance, not happy to have been talked about in any capacity, and turned back to Rey.

“She was reading here alone, and wasn’t talking,” Hux started to say, but Rey cut him off with a shake of her head.

“She has some communication issues,” she said, more defensive than explanatory. She put a hand on the child’s head, and the girl immediately leaned onto Rey’s hip. “She doesn’t say much. Just hums. I'd appreciate it if you don'tmake a big deal out of it.”

“I only meant-”

“Rey,” Ren stepped in, moving to Hux’s side. “He’s not judging, he meant well.”

“That’s not the p-” Rey cut herself off, because Beebee was moving away from her side. She’d taken the blanket from around her shoulders and folded it sloppily in half. She lifted it up with one hand to Hux, her other hand holding her place in the book. She would not dog-ear a page, Hux noticed with a smile. He took the blanket, bending a bit at the waist to get on her level. She made eye contact, that strange orange-brown look of hers warmer now, and gave a small coo. Hux blinked back his acknowledgement, almost like one would do to a cat. Beebee moved back to her babysitter’s side, and when Hux looked up at Rey her mouth was open in shock.

“She’s a sweet girl,” Hux said softly. “You’re both welcome back anytime.” Hux felt a large, powerful hand at the small of his back, then, a reward for having done well. He straightened, hating how he felt placated and restless at the same time, and both he and Kylo Ren watched Rey thank them and leave to go home. Beebee trailed behind, her face down as she read while she walked.

 

* * *

 

It didn’t take long to clean up, and with everyone long gone Hux had half a mind to insist that Ren go home too. But Ren stayed, sweeping up crumbs and picking up discarded receipts by the door. He helped Hux clear the now-empty display and set up an order sheet by the door for anyone who came by in the future wanting to sign up for a copy in the future. Once the minor things were finished, they both sat on the couch in the entrance and looked up at the colored lights playing through the bookshelf aisles and mingling together. It was almost four in the morning, and fatigue was finally taking its toll on the two of them. Hux was almost asleep when Ren spoke for the first time since the customers had left.

“So that woman from before,” Hux muttered, trying to get a gauge on why he felt so threatened by her presence. “Is she like… a girlfriend of yours?”

“Me?” Kylo Ren shouted with laughter, a sound Hux wished he heard more often. It filled the shop with its tone for a moment, like the way a windchime colors the air in summer. Hux blushed. “No, no she’s not my type. At all.”

“What is your type?” Hux whispered before he could stop himself. He felt Ren reposition himself just slightly on the couch next to him.

“Usually a bit taller,” Ren murmured. Hux looked up at the way the Christmas lights were reflecting off of his glossy wooden bookshelves, distracting himself. “Quiet. Bookish. Red hair has kind of grown on me.”

“Is that so?” Hux asked, trying to make his voice sound haughty and failing miserably.

“Mmm.”

“So how do you know… what was her name? It was like yours.”

“Rey. And she’s a neighbor. Lives down the street from my family, knew my parents. She works at the vet’s office downtown during the day, usually watches local children at night. Very caring, in a gruff sort of way.”

“Mmm,” it was Hux’s turn to grunt. He felt too warm where the couch dipped in between them, where he could touch Ren’s hand if he just slid over an inch. The thought alone made him clench his jaw until it hurt.

“Do you live far from here?” Ren asked, his voice gravelly from fatigue. Hux shrugged.

“Not too far. Not close enough to walk. You?”

“I mean, kind of,” Ren smirked to himself.

“What’s so funny?” Hux asked, leaning away from him on the couch to get a better view of Ren’s face.

“I’ve been spending the night here recently, so it feels like the store is where I live,” Ren said, running his fingers through his hair, ruffling it a bit as if the confession was something he was ashamed of. “I just pass out on the couch in the break room after work most nights.”

“Like how I found you earlier tonight?”

“Yes,” Ren murmured. They stayed quiet for a second, neither of them brave enough to say anything, until Ren added, “It’d be nice to get to wake up like that more often.”

“What, by faking being asleep and making someone think you’ll be late to work?” Hux scoffed. There was silence, no joke following, no snap back. Hux felt his chest clench. Would Ren get up and go back to his store now? Would he stomp off, leaving Hux underneath of the colored lights alone? A shuffle of fabric, this was it, he was leaving.

Hux didn’t expect the kiss. It was more of a nuzzle, so warm and animalistic was it. At first he didn’t know how to respond. Kylo had missed his mouth, had dragged his lips across Hux’s cheek instead, had left Hux kissing air as an immediate reaction. Hux turned into it, begging for it as soon as Ren had taken a taste. He wondered if he should feel ashamed of that; he pushed that thought aside as he pulled Ren closer by the collar of his black blazer.

Ren’s hands were at his shirt buttons, carefully undoing them as he kissed his way into Hux’s mouth, slowly disheveling every ordered part of Hux’s appearance. When Hux’s shirt was open and pushed aside to reveal the black tank top underneath, Ren snaked one arm around his waist and grabbed Hux’s hair with the other hand. A moan escaped from Hux’s lips as he felt himself being pushed backwards onto the couch, held firmly by the shadow above him as it obscured and blocked the light from the bookshelves. Hux’s hands couldn’t move quickly enough, couldn’t find enough skin to touch. He pulled up Ren’s t-shirt as he opened his mouth further for Ren’s tongue, tilting his chin as he struggled to kiss him deeper at the same time as undressing him.

Hux was simultaneously cold and aflame, the air kissing his skin as Ren’s fingers traced scratching lines down Hux’s ribs. Hux managed to pull Ren’s t-shirt up so that he could mimick each touch on the other’s back, on his nipples, on his abdomen. Hux wanted Ren to discard his blazer, but it seemed like Ren wasn’t about to let him go for long enough to make that happen. Fair enough. Hux contented himself with making Ren groan and bite at him, even if he couldn’t get him fully undressed.

Hux’s fingers were at Ren’s belt before he realized they were touching the cold metal of the buckle. He was desperate. He undid Ren’s pants, felt him pulling away, and immediately he brought his hands to either side of Ren’s face to hold him in a steady kiss.

“Don’t,” he mouthed against Ren’s lips, echoing Ren’s words from only a few hours prior. Hux didn’t want the moment to end, the magic to be gone. If Ren pulled away, Hux would remember who he was, would pull back, would keep him out. If they just kept kissing, they could stay like this, stay lit in soft glowing colors instead of them having to return to the cold white reality of the world outside.

“Wait,” Ren groaned. Hux opened his eyes, relaxing back into the couch. He braced himself for what was about to come next. Ren’s eyes were still closed, his one hand still fisted tightly in Hux’s hair. The other arm was being used to brace Ren so that his fully body weight wasn’t crushing Hux as they lay there. Ren’s chest moved slowly, deeply, as if he were trying to calm down.

“Please tell me you aren’t meditating right now,” Hux said, only half-joking. Ren laughed, finally opening his eyes. The intensity therin made Hux snap his mouth shut.

“I’m trying to keep from getting carried away,” Ren warned. He glanced at the windowed walls behind them, then back to Hux. “Anybody walking around could see in. This place is not ideal.”

“Ideal for what?” Hux sneered. “Nobody decided what we were going to do yet.”

“I’ve thought about what I want to do to you for a very long time, now,” Ren said, his voice low and dangerous. Hux felt an ache in his hips every time his heart beat; he had no idea he could be this hard just from a kiss, and now Ren was making it worse with every word he uttered.

“You wanna show me some more magic tricks, is that it?” Hux whispered, only half-sarcastic. Ren’s eyes darkened and the hand at Hux’s hair tightened. Hux swallowed back a small noise of weakness, and Ren’s jaw flexed. Each of their moves informed the other’s, as if they were dancing. He stared down at Hux with conviction, backlit by blue and red.

“Ever since I opened up shop, I’ve wanted to talk to you, get to know you.”

“Is that what this is? Getting to know me?” Hux asked, shifting his hips so that they barely grazed against Ren’s. The hand in his hair jerked hard, making him cry out. Ren growled, barely holding on.

“As much as you’ll let me, yes. You know, for the longest time I thought you hated me,” Ren said, accusatory.

“Who says I don’t?” Hux rejoined.

“I heard what you said in your speech,” Ren chuckled darkly. “I heard how you wanted to thank me.” He drew his leg up over Hux’s hip, partially straddling him. He moved, grinding down, and Hux saw white. “I’m here now,” Ren whispered, moving his lips to Hux’s neck. “So thank me.”

Hux laughed, and Ren seemed taken entirely aback by the noise.

“If you heard it, it means I won’t be repeating it,” Hux said, trying desperately to gain an upper hand. Ren’s teeth at his jugular were driving him wild, pushing him close to the edge. He traced languid lines down Ren’s back with his hands, his fingertips gathering the heat there and drawing it into themselves. Ren was almost purring under his touch, his lips vibrating gently against Hux’s neck. “If anything, you should thank me for agreeing to do this with you.”

“Thank you for agreeing to make out with me?”

“No,” Hux hissed, “the launch party for the book!” The fact that Ren called this making out was both endearing and incredibly frustrating. They weren’t in high school; they could be doing more to each other -should be doing more to each other- than simple pawing and dry-humping. Hux shook his head and scoffed, trying to get the image of Ren’s adept fingers out of his head for one bloody second.

“I thought I did thank you for the launch,” Ren said, pausing momentarily.

“No. Not once.”

Ren grew still, as if he were really trying to remember if he had thanked Hux or not. “Hux,” he whispered, his voice less commanding, already less threatening. The hand in Hux’s hair loosened slightly, and Hux knew he had him. Just like the crowd had mollified for him, so too did Ren melt for him now.

“Say thank you,” Hux ordered, his hands at Ren’s hips. He moved them in a slow circle, mesmerized by how Ren responded to his touch, by how affected he was, by how easily distracted. The brunette was practically panting above him. Hux groaned, “I know you want to.”

“I must have already,” Ren choked out, close to breaking.

“I’ll say it if you say it,” Hux said softly. Ren froze in his hands. Hux leaned up, pressing into the man above him, and whispered, “I promise, as much as you like.”

That was too much, apparently. Hux felt Ren’s teeth at his neck, cried out as Ren’s hands undid his belt and untucked his tank. His pants were around his knees in a minute, his boxers following. The cold air kissed his cock; he was so hard that even the brush of his silk underwear pulling on him made Hux cry out. Ren shimmied down, trailing sloppy, hungry kisses down Hux’s stomach, murmuring into his freckled skin. It took Hux a moment to realize that he was whipering ‘thank you’ over and over again. The tenderness threatened to overwhelm Hux, but he couldn’t keep thinking on it when Ren dragged his wet tongue across Hux’s cock from base to tip. All thoughts vanished except for the aching need to thrust further into Ren’s mouth.

It was Hux’s turn to grab at Kylo’s hair, his first name on Hux’s lips. Hux bucked up against each ravenous lick, going insane with each warm tease of Ren’s tongue.

“Kylo,” Hux begged. “Give me your mouth.”

“You said you’d say it,” Ren mumbled into the soft fold of skin where Hux’s hipbone met with his pelvis. Hux groaned, throwing his head back into the throw pillows. He leaned up when he found no reprieve there, and was met with a delicious sight. Hux saw that Ren had undone his own belt and was slowly working himself up as well. Just that image, the simple image of Ren so eager that he had to touch himself while he licked at Hux’s straining erection, was enough to convince Hux that he would say anything this man asked.

“Thank you. Goddamnit, I don't know what I would have done without you,” he moaned. Kylo gave a small, satisfied noise and took Hux in his mouth. He let Hux fuck up into his throat, gave moans of encouragement that Hux felt on his shaft before he could hear them, and when Hux looked down he could see that Ren’s hand between his own legs was moving faster, was shining slick with the evidence of just how much Hux’s words meant to him. Hux closed his eyes, imagined that it was his hand at Ren’s cock instead, imagined that they were in Ren’s bed, together, working each other into a frenzy.

It was too much. He held Ren’s head down as he came hard, one hand at Ren’s cheek while the other buried itself in his black curls. He felt Ren’s breathing quicken as he swallowed, and Hux let go of Ren’s head in time for him to sit up and climb up further on the couch. He could hear Ren’s hand still working, could hear Ren’s frantic breaths as he got closer and closer to his own release. Without opening his eyes, Hux slid himself down further and began to stroke Ren’s legs, trailing his fingers through the dark curls further south in blatant imitation of how Hux had held onto Ren’s hair as he came. He sighed happily in his afterglow, stretching beneath the man who’d swallowed all of him, and he opened his eyes right as Ren moved in to kiss him.

Hux couldn’t tell if it was the kiss, the eye contact, or just the constant stroking that did Ren in. All he knew was that he loved the way Ren shouted into his mouth as their lips met, his orgasm spilling between them as Hux kissed him to higher peaks so that he could fall further. When Ren finally collapsed, spent and exhausted, Hux could barely register the stickiness between their stomachs. Kylo’s weight on him felt so calming, so surreal, that he was half-convinced he had dreamt it. It didn’t help that the storm outside had kept the morning light from dawning, and the store was still washed in colorful gentleness from the night before. Hux closed his eyes, vowing to keep hold of the moment for just a second longer before he got up to clean them off.

 

* * *

 

Hux woke up to the smell of slightly burnt coffee. It was brighter out now, and he had a blanket thrown over him. Glancing around, he wasn’t sure where he was for a moment. Had he driven home? Surely not. What time was it? Where was this coffee he was smelling? Hux shifted, felt his pants back up where they belonged with his belt done around his waist. Hmm.

“Good morning,” Kylo said, and Hux hoped he couldn’t see that the noise had startled him. Ren pretended not to notice. “Coffee?”

“Yes please,” Hux said, sitting up and feeling a painful tug at the trail of hairs on his abdomen. He hadn’t cleaned off last night, he had passed out underneath of Kylo Ren immediately after he’d finished. This conversation, the one following the intense encounter last night, would be awkward enough without Hux having to feel Ren’s come still on his stomach. He grimaced. “Excuse me for a minute.”

He left before Ren could stand up, before Ren could see the blush creeping across his cheeks. He went to the restroom, wet some paper towels, and cleaned himself up. Before he left to go back out to the lobby, Hux took a look at himself in the mirror. Messy red hair, glasses slightly askew from where the arm had bent a bit as he slept on them, shirt still undone. Hux buttoned himself back up, straightening himself out. It wasn’t a dream. Had Ren fallen asleep with him, then?

“Coffee’s ready for you,” Ren called. Hux flinched, frowning at the mirror. So tense.

“Thank you,” Hux said as he left the restroom, the words on his lips reminding him of how immediately and intensely Ren had responded to just that phrase last night. He blushed and took the coffee from Ren’s hands before sitting down.

“You feeling okay?” Ren asked.

“Fine, why do you ask?”

“You seem a bit pink.” He moved as if to check Hux’s temperature by pressing a wrist to his forehead, but Hux ducked away from the hand.

“I’m just tired.”

“Did you not sleep well?”

“I slept fine,” Hux answered again. He glanced up, saw that Ren’s expression was a mask of emptiness. Was he asking so much because he was nervous too? Hux wanted to tell him not to be, to tell him that last night had been exactly what he’d needed, to tell Ren thank you again to see what he would do. “Sleeping on a couch is never a great experience, even if the company is good,” Hux added softly instead.

“Next time you should come to mine,” Ren said, sipping his own coffee casually. “My bed’s more comfortable.”

Hux couldn’t process that at the moment, so he sipped his coffee and glance up at Ren over the steam. His dark hair was mussed from sleep, tousled in an effortless way. His eyes were a bit heavy-lidded still, and he looked like he hadn’t slept well either. It suited him, this disheveled allure.

“Did you sleep beside me? After we…?” Hux asked.

“Yes and no.” Ren bit his lip, glanced away for a second like he was embarassed. “I didn’t want to crush you, so I moved to the chair. I figured I was too heavy.”

“Oh.” For some reason this was a disappointment. Hux felt deprived, and tried to drown the emotion with another hot mouthful of coffee.

“So… are you busy today?”

Hux swallowed, looked around, then turned back to Ren as if he were an idiot. There was nobody here, and would be nobody here. The brunette’s lips twitched as if he were holding back a remark at that, and Hux sighed. Glancing at the clock above the counter, Hux noted it was only seven in the morning. He needed more sleep if he were going to deal with Ren quizzing him, and he was too tired to deny the shiver of explicit anticipation that ran down his back at the thought of Ren’s comfortable bed being shared by the two of them. Ren was looking back into his coffee, as if he’d given up on trying to hold his end of a conversation.

“Come on, then,” Hux said, getting up with a sigh and going over to the entrance to put on his coat.

“What?”

“We’re going to your place.” Hux widened his eyes, pretending like Ren should’ve known that. He relished the look of complete shock on Ren’s face as a reply. “Unless you don’t want to?”

“Let me get my coat,” Ren said, cutting off any further doubt. Something on the floor made him pause, though. He bent down to retrieve it, and Hux clenched his jaw at the sight. “What’s this doing out?” Ren asked, holding up the king of hearts card.

“I…” Hux had kept it on him last night, its weight in his pants pocket somehow significant. It must have fallen out when Ren had gone at him. Hux walked over to where Ren was holding the card and held out his hand. He put on his best business-like face. “That’s mine.”

“Is it the one from before? The one I gave you?”

“Yes, and I’d appreciate it if you gave it back to me.”

“It’s just a playing card,” Ren said, but his tone was tentative. He was asking if it was indeed, was asking for Hux to contradict him. Hux shook his head.

“It’s more than that,” he said quietly. He waited, and Ren held up the card to him with quivering fingers. Hux resisted the urge to snatch it away possessively, forced himself to take it with steady fingertips. “It means a lot to me, this king of hearts.” Before Ren could say anything in response, Hux pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, tucked the card into his pants pocket, and made his way to the door. “We’ll take my car,” he said. Ren could only nod, as if he were still absorbing what Hux had said.

Hux turned once they were both outside in the snow, their coats buttoned high and their eyes almost shut against the icy blast of wind that seemed to come from all directions at once. Hux locked up, his hand shaking. For the first time in a year, when the key left the keyhole, Hux didn’t worry about not being able to open it again. He would come back, his books still there and his business still afloat, and he would have many more mornings of Kylo Ren blasting his idiotic music at ungodly hours in the morning before they opened for the day. The thought made him grin brightly, even as the cold bit at his skin.

“Hux?” Ren said, drawing him back into the moment. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” he replied. “Just something I’m looking forward to.” Ren looked confused, but Hux couldn’t explain. Instead, he linked his arm in Ren’s and guided him over to his car in comfortable silence, their twin businesses dark in slumber behind them.

 

* * *

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

* * *

 

“You have too many syrups, you know,” Hux said as he stood in the middle of the well-heated studio apartment, staring at the counter of flavors before him. “You don’t really like coffee if you have to doctor it up this much.”

“Fine, give it to me plain and boring, like how you take it,” Ren called from the bedroom. Hux had left him flipping through the channels on the flatscreen therein, searching for a weather report. The weather outside howled, reminding Hux of just how defiant he was being by standing in the kitchen in only his underwear.

“Yeah, right, like you’d even drink it if I did,” Hux said to himself, pouring the coffee. He remembered what Finn had listed for him before, on the night of the launch party a while back. Hazelnut. Cinnamon. Ginger. Clove. Coconut. Chocolate. Probably not all of those together at once, Hux reasoned, but it gave him options.

Hunting in the fridge for other ingredients to change Ren’s coffee into not-coffee, he found some steaks thawing, a half a carton of heavy cream, and a bag of frozen raspberries that he’d seen Ren put in an hour ago from the freezer to thaw. Hux grabbed the cream. “I’m going to make the best damn drink you’ve ever had,” he mumbled to himself while pouring in tiny dollops of the hazelnut and coconut syrups. He capped them and went to the spice rack, grabbing up cinnamon. “I’ll make it so good you won’t ever be able to recreate it,” he snickered. Tapping some cinnamon into the mug, smelling it to see if the flavor would be worth it, Hux grinned to himself. “That’ll show you,” he said, replacing all the ingredients where he found them before carrying in the two mugs to the bedroom.

Ren’s apartment was large and airy, all brick and gray and minimalstic. Hux liked it, but Ren seemed out of place laying on the king size mattress overflowing with white duvets. He was hanging off the side of the bed like a child, his feet kicked up and thrashing. Hux rolled his eyes, thinking that he seemed more at home in the magic shop than an elegantly furnished two bedroom above the city. Hux set the coffees down on the bedside table and tilted his head a bit. The view of Ren from behind, though, was one he could get used to.

“Stop staring at my ass and pull me up,” Ren called, his voice frustrated.  Hux flushed, completely called out. “I’m trying to get something out from underneath the bed and I think I’m stuck.”

“You can’t be stuck. Just flip over and get up.”

“No, then I would be off of the bed. You have to help me, those are the rules.”

“Ugh.” Hux rolled his eyes, sliding his hand over Ren’s back to get a grip on him and hoist him back onto the mattress. “If you want an excuse for me to touch you, just ask for me to touch you,” he groaned, heaving with all his might to pull Kylo up from the floor. “You’re fucking heavy.”

Ren flopped backwards onto the bed, curling up around Hux and taking him down with him into the mountain of covers. He was smiling, as if it were his plan all along to pin Hux in a hug.

“You’re transparent, you big faker,” Hux protested, trying his best not to smile, “You didn’t fool me for a minute.”

“I’m not smiling about that,” Ren said triumphantly. Hux narrowed his eyes, suspicious, and noted that one of Ren’s hands had something concealed behind his back.

“What is that you’ve got.”

“Ta-dah,” Ren said in a soft singsong. He brought forward a black box tied with red ribbon. It was tied poorly, so Hux knew he’d done it himself. Still, the uneven butterfly bow had a certain charm. Hux glanced up, suspicious, and Ren’s eyebrow twitched. “It’s for you. Take it.”

“Christmas is already past,” Hux said, thinking of the January snow beyond Ren’s window. On top of that, it had only been a couple of weeks since they’d started dating. Hux was suddenly anxiously aware that he had nothing to give back to Ren, and that the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. His mouth went dry at the callous implication his lack of reciprocity would show.

“I don’t care. Open it.” Ren didn’t seem to want anything in return, but accepting the gift would mean having to admit that Hux didn’t have anything for him. Still, he looked insistent. Hux sighed.

Without wanting to start a fight, Hux took the gift. He sat up and away from Ren and opened the box, pulling the ribbon off so as to preserve the lopsided bow. He opened it and let the lid fall away onto the duvet, scarcely believing his eyes.

“This isn’t…” but he trailed off. Hux pulled his Faustus from the box, carefully opening the front cover to reveal an expertly patched-up front page. The smudged pen writing had been restored to a legible degree, and the seams of the tears were matched up so perfectly that one could hardly tell they had been ripped out. If not for the slight discoloration signaling repairs had been done, and the faint smell of latex and adhesive, Hux might have never known it had been destroyed.

“It won’t hold the same value as before, of course,” Ren said quickly, misinterpreting Hux’s stunned silence as something that he needed to fill. “I have a relative who does some tinkering, I thought he would be good at repairing something so fragile. If anything’s messed up about it, tell me, I’ll take it back to someone who does it professionally, I-”

“It’s perfect,” Hux whispered, blinking up at Ren with fresh eyes.

“Abra-cadabra,” Ren said back, smiling wide.

“See now you’re just ruining it,” Hux laughed, swiping underneath of his glasses so that Ren wouldn’t see the tears there. He’d counted the book as a loss entirely, but here it was, manifested in his hands and heavy with the weight of Ren’s efforts.

As if he knew Hux didn’t want to be seen so emotional, Ren moved to lean over so that he could grab his coffee. Hux lifted a hand and pressed it to Ren’s bare chest, stopping him midway. He leaned in, kissing at Ren’s upper lip, hesitant in the face of such sweetness. He didn’t know what to say, how much to say, where to begin. Ren’s lips were trembling beneath his, he noticed. Did he wonder if it was a good gift? Still?

“Thank you, Kylo,” Hux breathed, unable to say more.

Ren pulled him close, kissing him deeper for a moment. Right when Hux’s breathing changed, growing slightly quicker, Ren pulled away.

“It’s my pleasure.” Ren reached for his coffee mug, inhaling and making a small noise of interest that made Hux’s cock stir. Damn, he was half-hard already, just from the kiss. “Did you make this?” Ren asked.

“Yep. Poisoned it, too,” Hux replied, trying to distract himself from Ren long enough for his mind to clear. Ren chuckled darkly, making that all but impossible.

“It’s delicious. The perfect way to die.”

“Thought you might like it,” Hux said, hugging the Faustus to his chest and leaning back into Kylo’s arms, accepting that he wasn’t going to be able to deny himself much longer. Ren kissed at his ear, then the soft skin just below its lobe, making Hux feel all too warm even though an icy storm dragged on just outside the window. The news on the flatscreen talked about the snow not letting up for days, about this being the worst storm of the season, and it advised everyone to stay indoors until it was over. Hux closed his eyes, inhaled the smell of hazelnut and spice and old book pages, and realized he would happily ride it out if it meant he could stay here for just a bit longer.

“You have to stay with me, now,” Ren whispered into his neck, as if he could read Hux’s mind. “Not safe for you to drive home.”

“How do you do that?” Hux asked.

“Do what?”

“Just seem to know exactly what I’m thinking without me saying it?”

“I dunno,” Ren smiled against his skin, making Hux shiver. They moved together for a moment, resituating themselves so that they were complete in one another’s arms. Ren sighed deeply, a noise Hux knew meant the giant was finally content, and whispered, “Magic, I guess.”

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> I love the idea of Hux being a bit too proud, a bit too good at his job, and a bit lost. But originally, if you can believe it, this came about by talking to Kaitlyn (how else) and seeing one of the[ fucking dumbest photostock pictures I've ever laid eyes on.](http://previews.123rf.com/images/gloffs/gloffs1005/gloffs100500017/6966705-Male-stylist-with-spray-can-and-wind-blowing-through-hair--Stock-Photo.jpg)
> 
> I think we laughed about it then almost immediately went into, "But really tho Kylo Ren with a business suit, a thermos, and his feathered hair? Um, Kylo Ren would have a business he personally just wanted to play around in... Hux as a business owner though.... NEXT DOOR? YEP." Idea seeds can come from anywhere children, just remember that.
> 
> I did the thing, therefore, because I tend to-- even if I don't publish it for way too long. Thanks for sticking around to see what else I put out! All other fics WILL BE UPDATED but I have two entirely finished ones to give you this week, as a sincere thank you for y'all's sweetness.
> 
> (Also lowkey always wished I had been one of those kids at the HP book parties dressed up and doing my thing so y'know. Wish fulfillment there.)


End file.
